MAMBILA ON TUESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2026
Mambilla: EFCC star witness fails to establish connection between Agunloye and CEO of Sunrise company …attracts ‘tainted witness’ tag over manipulative moves
The Court sat at 1.53 pm and Mambilla case was called immediately. The Defence went straight into the cross-examination of PW3, Mr Umar Babangida of EFCC to reveal more facts.
.1. PW3 identified the ICRC Act of 2005 and confirmed that it was not violated by the Defendant
.2. When PW3 was asked if he had any evidence or proof that the Defendant knew Mr Leno Adesanya, the CEO of Sunrise Company before he became the Minister of Power, PW3 said “Yes”
.3. PW3 told the court that the evidence was in the Statement of the Defendant; and when asked to read it out, he read: “I have known of Mr Leno Adesanya but I never met him before I became Minister of Power which was in early December 2002.”
.4. The defence then asked PW3 after reading this out to know if he still maintained his position that the Defendant knew Adesanya before he became minister, to which PW3 insisted “Yes, he told me so personally”
.5. Defence lawyer asked if PW3 and Defendant were friends to which PW3 said: “No. The defendant gave me the information in line of ny official duty.”
.6. The Defence asked PW3 if he was allowed to obtain personal information without documenting it, to which he answered “No”
.7. Defence asked PW3 “Show the court any documents here which support your assertion that the Defendant and Mr. Leno Adesanya or Sunrise Company were friends or close or in any relationship before the Defendant became Minister of Power.
The prosecution lawyer jumped up and raised Objection. But the Defence lawyer turned to the Judge to present the PW3, the starwitness of EFCC, Mr Umar Babangida as a “tainted witness, a witness of untruths” who cannot be relied upon by the court.
The meticulous efforts of the Defence lawyer to systematically show why and how PW3 has become a tainted witness with conflicting and contradicting statements was not without severe disruptions.
At intervals, the lead prosecution lawyer, Mr Mohammed Abba, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria erupted in fury to raise objection and mostly to refine or reinterpret what the witness said or meant. There were scary moments when the two lawyers appeared ready for fisticuffs. However, the Judge was there to intervene. He would say, “that’s my job. It’s not for you to argue about…, let the witness do his part.. ”
The judge again calmed the court and allowed the witness to go through all the documents tendered as Exhibits after which he (PW3) said, “I cannot identify any documents establishing any relationship between the Defendant and Mr Leno Adesanya or Sunrise Company before the Defendant became Minister, or while he was the Minister of Power.”
The judge adjourned the case till 11 and 12 March 2026 to conclude the cross-examination of PW3.
Suleiman Yohana
@AbujaNews. 18-02-26
